


What Happens in Rio

by NinjaSpaz



Series: Twitter Fics and Drabbles [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Disaster Bi Oikawa, Fluff, Hinata is just vibing, M/M, Manga Spoilers, OR IS HE, Oikawa Tooru is a Mess, Oikawa has a Praise Kink, Oikawa's teammates are assholes, Pining, Reunions, Rio From Oikawa's POV, This was supposed to be a drabble, but we knew this already, so much pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-02-23 05:37:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23639797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinjaSpaz/pseuds/NinjaSpaz
Summary: Oikawa is a disaster bi. He knows he’s smooth with the ladies but he absolutely freezes when he sees a pretty boy. Imagine his shock when the beautiful stranger in Rio is his old rival’s former partner. He loses his shit internally when Hinata tells him how grateful he is that they ran into each other and he just canNOT deal.Chapters 371-374 from Oikawa's POV (spoilers, obvi).
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Oikawa Tooru
Series: Twitter Fics and Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701859
Comments: 19
Kudos: 272





	What Happens in Rio

**Author's Note:**

> I decided I wanted to write a Rio OiHina drabble/threadfic on Twitter and set out to write this reunion thinking it would be brief, no more than 1.5k, but it grew into a monster and consumed my TL. Figured I'd clean it up and post it here for easier reading.
> 
> Couple notes: Oikawa's CA SJ teammates weren't given names in the manga so I just pulled some names off the current roster from their website, just for funzies. Also, this is pretty much frame by frame from the manga but with Oikawa's internal monologue as I imagine it. There's also a section in the middle where I go off script because there's like at least a whole day between the matches with the Beer Bros where we don't know what Oikawa was up to, so I consulted with Furudate and they told me this is totally what happened. (This is a joke, you see. There are lots of jokes in here and it is very dumb.)
> 
> Anyway, here's Oikawa being a whole mess for 6.5k words. Enjoy!

Oikawa Tooru is a ladies man. Handsome, suave, eloquent; he can steal your girl’s heart with a glance and a smile. He oozes confidence, delights in charming them, and they revel in his attentions. Catching a beautiful woman is as effortless as breathing.

He _wishes_ he had the same luck with men.

Unfortunately, Oikawa Tooru is a disaster bi.

It shouldn’t be so difficult, he thinks. He knows the effect he has, has caught plenty of men staring at him alongside their girlfriends, wanting, not just envious. But for whatever reason, he freezes every time he catches the eye of a gorgeous man.

Well, it’s not like he has the time for relationships anyway. Volleyball is and has always been his first mistress and he will always devote himself wholly to her. Who has time to fall in love when there are matches to be won and titles to be claimed? Really, he hasn’t even had time to be lonely in South America; he’s been so focused on continuously improving his skills and connecting with his newest teammates. The trip to Rio is supposed to be routine.

After flying in and getting settled in his hotel, he decides to join Martin and Sebastian in looking for a restaurant for dinner. Their path takes them along the beach where under the bright lights, he hears a cheer both familiar and foreign.

“Nice kill!”

It freezes him to the spot. Seb and Martin exchange a curious glance. They know this phrase, too, if they haven’t heard it lately. <<No fucking way,>> Oikawa mutters to himself.

There, on the sand, thousands of miles away from the last place he’d seen him, stood that painfully vibrant tiny monster. And holy shit, it’s only been 3 years but he looks good. And he’s here, in the flesh, ten feet away. “Is this real life?” Oikawa can’t stop himself from asking in Japanese.

Hinata Shouyo turns around and their eyes meet. And Oikawa’s heart clenches involuntarily as the younger man’s amber eyes widen at the sight of him. “The Grand King?!”

Oh no.

No no no. He is NOT going to be enchanted by the shrimp today. Not here. Not now. Not even if his skin tingles at the nostalgia that title brings. Even if he remembers a small boy flying through the air, slamming a beautiful spike through the best blockers Seijoh had to offer. Slamming it past _him_.

Before that bitter memory can take hold, he realizes Hinata is still staring at him. And he’s not that scrawny kid he was when Karasuno earned their shot at Nationals. Oikawa still towers over him, but he’s grown since the last time they met. His traitor tongue speaks before he can process the words. “You’ve sure gotten big…” It takes every ounce of control he has not to slam it between his teeth.

But Hinata doesn’t react. He’s also just as stunned to see him. “What are you doing here Gra- Oikawa?!” At least that feeling was mutual.

“That’s my line,” he replies, as coolly as he can in this surreal situation.

Hinata’s reply only adds to the strangeness. “I’m here training using beach volleyball!” he exclaims with a blinding smile.

Oikawa freezes for a second time. Training? On the beach? Halfway around the world from home? Well then, he wasn’t the only crazy one from Miyagi prefecture to venture outside their borders for the love of the sport. He laughs. “Man, you’re a scary kid sometimes Chibi-chan.”

<<Hey, Tooru, you know this kid?>>

Oh, right. He’d completely forgotten about Seb and Martin. <<Uh, yeah, middle schooler from my neighborhood.>> Something in their expressions said they didn’t buy it.

“Oikawa, even I can understand some English,” Hinata pouts behind him.

Whoops.

<<Well, we’re gonna go ahead.>>

That was fine. He didn’t want to be a third wheel anyway. And he wasn’t so rude as to run off without taking a moment to catch up with a fresh, friendly, familiar face from home. They even take a ridiculous selfie to commemorate the occasion, sending it to friends back home.

Hinata is impressed with everything he has to say. It’s simultaneously endearing and unnerving. If Hinata keeps looking at him like that, Oikawa will certainly not get his treacherous heart under control. Honestly. He’s probably just homesick.

Suddenly Hinata’s face takes on a determinedly excited look. There is mischief in those honey eyes and Oikawa braces himself. “Oikawa! Let’s play volleyball together! I-…” His stomach protests noisily and it’s all Oikawa can do not to burst into laughter.

He’d almost forgotten how hungry Hinata could be when it came to volleyball. It reminds Oikawa a bit of himself in his younger days. And the growling organ in Hinata’s belly reminds him why he was out so late in the first place.

“I was actually on my way to get something to eat,” he says, putting on his most charming smile. “Why don’t you take me some place good?” It’d be a shame to end their reunion so soon, he thinks. That’s all. He has no other reason to want to dine with the shrimp.

“There’s this delicious, healthy place that’s really cheap!” Hinata exclaims.

Oikawa refrains from biting his cheek. His honor would not allow him to let a kouhai pay for dinner. That’s what he tells himself anyway, as he replies, “Don’t worry about that part, it’s my treat! I can do that much for ya.” Of the two of them, he _is_ part of a professional club.

Though, maybe he shouldn’t have brought that up. Hinata’s eyes darken for a moment and Oikawa fears he accidentally crossed a line. Before he can apologize, Hinata buries his hands in his face to hide his tears. “I lost my wallet during my part-time job today,” he sighs in explanation.

Oikawa almost makes a joke about how fortuitous it was that he should come swooping in like a knight in shining armor, a line he had used on plenty of damsels to high rates of success. Of course, in those cases, they had yet to agree to go out with him. Oikawa can’t hold it in. He laughs, as much at himself as at Hinata’s dreadful luck. Well, he _is_ the senpai in this, and every, situation involving Hinata, and he _had_ already agreed to a meal with the kid, Lady Luck be damned.

Twenty minutes later they are seated at a table for two with a healthy spread between them. With his first bite, Oikawa has to admit the shrimp was right. It _is_ delicious.

They chat as they eat, sharing stories about their travels, reminiscing about high school, and laughing at the absurdity of it all. For two people who have never shared a friendly conversation off the court, they fall into it with ease. It’s pleasant. Oikawa feels great. It’s the best date he’s been on with a guy since he and Iwa-chan parted ways when he left Japan.

Wait, what?

No, this isn’t a date.

Hinata is looking at him expectantly and he realizes he missed the question the younger man asked. “Sorry, what?”

He doesn’t like the amused glint in Hinata’s eyes as he repeats his question. “Have you seen any of Kageyama’s matches lately?”

Oikawa stiffens involuntarily. Of course this isn’t a date. Not while his companion is still mooning over their mutual rival. “Nope.” That’s a lie; he keeps tabs on the power players back home for his eventual return to the top, but he doesn’t want to talk about Kageyama.

Ugh. Was there nothing sacred from Tobio-chan’s clutches? Even though thousands of miles separate them, the young Adler’s setter still has a hold on his old partner. Oikawa feels a perverse desire to break that spell.

He thinks Hinata is about to call him on his bluff, but the ginger smiles softly and deftly changes the subject to something far more interesting than Kageyama Tobio’s stupid matches. “So why did you go to Argentina?”

Oikawa grins, resting his chin in his hand as he recounts the tale of his Setter Soul Awakening (not that he would ever call it that out loud), that amazing match between Argentina and Japan he went to with Iwa-chan when they were kids. Hinata hangs on his every word and Oikawa feels himself wanting to boast about meeting Jose Blanco and his talks with the veteran coach during high school and following him back to South America. As he finishes his tale, Hinata has that determined look in his eyes again. That hunger to play volleyball, to learn as much as he can, that pulled him to Brazil… Oikawa fixes him with a bemused grin. “I thought I was doing something wild, but beach volleyball on the other side of the globe is-“

Hinata leaps to his feet, amber eyes sparkling. Oikawa swallows hard as that gaze pins him to his seat. “Come on! Let’s go play! Around here, everyone plays until pretty late!”

Terrifying runt.

Oikawa feels a smirk pulling at his lips. He chuckles. “You’ve gotten pretty high and mighty to want to fight with me.” He’s proud of himself for sounding so cool. He’s still got it.

That feeling lasts all of about ten minutes before he’s splayed out face-first in the sand after missing a pass. How is this the same sport? He feels ridiculous, but Hinata is still praising him. He can’t look so uncool while being praised like this. He gets back to his feet, ready to try again.

Hinata kneels over the ball. “You know,” he says, slowly raising his eyes to Oikawa as he picks the ball up. There’s a softness there that sends Oikawa’s pulse racing. “Today, for a second, just a second, I was really depressed. But,” and he smiles, wide and radiant and warm and Oikawa knows he’s done for, “after meeting you, I’m feeling way, way, way better!”

Shit.

Shit shit shit.

_Relax Tooru, it’s just gratitude from your kouhai. He’s always been exuberant and kind. There’re no hidden meanings in it. Keep cool. Just smile back. Don’t say anything weird._

He pulls off what he feels is probably his kindest smile. “Then treat me to dinner next time.”

What.

No!

Hinata’s grin doesn’t waver, but before either of them can say anything more, a pair of locals call in their direction. <<Jackie Chan! Wanna play?>>

Oikawa turns toward them. Did these idiots think he was Chinese? He exchanges a look with Hinata. He sees that hunger again and he feels it bubbling up inside him too. They face the challengers together. “Not Jackie Chan. Watanabe Ken!”

They agree to a single set match, losers owe the winners a drink. These locals are pretty confident. Oikawa can’t wait to show them how a pro does it. “Alright, it’s kinda late.” He grins at his partner. “We’ll win this quick.” The ball feels good in his hand. He goes for the usual, tossing high and leaping for the jump serve. His opponents’ jaws go slack when they see it coming. He smirks. As they should. He winds up for the spike, but the ball is not there.

…what?

He lands back in the sand, the light breeze rustling his shirt mocking him as it brings the ball back to the ground just out of his reach. There’s an explosion of laughter from the other side of the net and Oikawa snaps. “Hey wind! Read the atmosphere! You are atmosphere, aren’t you?!” He sighs, trying to compose himself as their opponents set up for their first serve. He catches Hinata’s eyes and flinches at the bemused expression on the younger man’s face.

Oh god.

He’d said all that _out loud_ and in front of the shrimp and now he wishes the wind would sweep him up and carry him out to sea. How uncool.

There’s no time to lament his folly. The serve is coming.

Of course it’s aimed right for him. He’s shown weakness on the court and they are already marking him. He needs to prove them wrong but he barely manages to receive it. The sand is impossible to move in. Well, for Oikawa it is.

For his diminutive partner, not so much. Hinata moves swiftly, gliding across the sand like he was made to dance on it. Oikawa watches carefully as the ball flies off the ginger’s fingers. It’s not a bad set, all things considered. He manages to jump enough to get a hand on it and send it over, but is frustrated as it lands out. He would never make such a pitiful play on a hard court. He grits his teeth. How long has it been since he felt like a beginner?

There are a lot of tiny differences that he has to adapt to. Beach volleyball has slightly different rules for passing, and he has to adapt his grip to avoid double contact. He can feel Hinata’s eyes on him as he gets used to the feel of it.

The game progresses and Oikawa watches his opponents motions carefully as they serve. They get so much air on their jumps. How do they do that? And then hit the ball so that it drops perfectly between him and Hinata? It’s a puzzle he wants to solve.

Hinata is watching them just as closely as he watches Oikawa. He’s gotten a lot better at analyzing the court mid-game. Oikawa feels a momentary pang of pride swell in his chest before he quashes it. He’d had nothing to do with the shrimp’s growth.

That thought sends a different pang through him, something dangerously close to regret. Or maybe it’s jealousy. For all his pride as a setter to bring out 100% of a spiker’s potential, he’d never had the opportunity to draw out Hinata’s power himself. That privilege had belonged to Kageyama, though Oikawa was certain he’d never fully succeeded. It had taken 3 years and several thousand miles, but that opportunity had finally presented itself to him tonight.

Unfortunately, he isn’t able to take full advantage of it. He is too much out of his element on the beach court, and they get trounced by the locals. A bet is a bet so he pays up at the concession stand on the main thoroughfare.

He’s feeling bitter about the loss, but Hinata isn’t dismayed in the slightest. As he babbles on, Oikawa feels his chest lighten.

“How long are you here in Rio? Where are you staying? Give me your contact number!”

Oikawa nearly misses step. “Breathe,” he says, as much to himself as Hinata. “Breathe. I’m here for a week, in a hotel nearby.” Did he really hear that right or did the ginger ask for his number? Before _he_ could? When did the shrimp get so bold?

The younger man’s eyes shine excitedly. Did they ever not? “Let’s play here again!” he exclaims. “I wanna hit one of your awesome tosses!”

Oikawa swallows. He can’t. He can’t look at that face anymore. He can’t hear these things. He’s going to combust.

He is a professional! He shouldn’t be getting this worked up over a little idolatry. His fans and teammates praise him all the time so why does this bring him back?

“Well, if I have some time?” he stammers. “And if I’m in the mood for it, I suppose maybe I could play more with you?” God, he sounds pitiful. He’s immensely grateful Seb and Martin hadn’t stuck around. They would never let him live this down.

He needs to get his emotions back in check. Change the subject. _Yeah, keep talking Tooru, that’s working well for you._

“But you know,” he says, “won’t it be a bit rough going back indoors after adjusting to beach’s quirks?” He thinks about the overhand rules and the sand in particular. The hard floor is not as forgiving as the soft grains on the beach.

Hinata hums agreement. “It is a little worrying,” he admits, “but that’s why I’m also getting some time indoors with a junior team!”

“Not taking anything for granted, huh.” Oikawa can’t help feeling impressed by Hinata’s ambition. He really has grown up in the years that have separated them. He kneels to tie his shoes, avoiding the other man’s eyes. “Isn’t it hard to start over from level 1?”

Hinata is quiet for a heartbeat. “Yeah,” he says, voice light and almost reverent. “But I really like leveling up.” Oikawa chances a look up at him. “That feeling of becoming able to do something, it’s fun! No matter how many times I feel it.” His eyes are focused forward, looking out across the beach but not seeing the people still playing. His gaze is further than that, towards the future, where he no doubt sees himself on the world stage in the glowing lights. Oikawa feels a knot begin to form in his stomach.

Hinata doesn’t realize how much he already shines. Here, in the late Rio night, he glows beneath the court lights. They catch in the glisten of sweat on his brow, make the sand on his skin glitter, and halo his tangerine hair so that he’s so bright it hurts, but Oikawa can’t look away. He’s always been so bright, so loud. Oikawa thinks back to the first time he saw Hinata fly, match point in a practice match that Oikawa had barely made it to. That freak quick had screamed “Look at me! Don’t you dare take your eyes off me!” It made him a formidable opponent.

He’d come so far since then and now he talks about starting over from scratch as if it was nothing, just a new game, a fresh challenge. Oikawa isn’t convinced. There’s gotta be more to it than that. “You sure you’re not just telling yourself that?”

Hinata’s reply is assured. He truly believes in his path. And he does seem to be enjoying himself.

Fun, huh.

Before they part ways, Hinata waves his phone in front of him, smirking and raising his eyebrows teasingly. Oikawa laughs as he accepts the device and enters his contact info. He can’t deny he wants to play with the shrimp again while he has the chance. Not that he would ever admit that out loud.

His phone vibrates as he gets back to his hotel and he grins at the message on his lock screen from an unknown number that can only belong to one person.

“Thanks for dinner! I had a great time tonight! Let’s play again tomorrow! (☆ω☆) -HS”

Cute, Oikawa chuckles as he saves the number to his Contacts.

“What are you so giddy about?” Nicolay asks as he returns to their room.

Shit. Was he still grinning like an idiot? He tries to cover his smile by turning the charm on his teammate. “Whatever do you mean, Nico? I’m always this pleased to see you.”

He hears a snort from the couch around the corner. “Tooru just had a destined reunion on the beach,” Seb taunts. “He even ditched me and poor Martin.”

Oikawa pouts as he stalks over to the en suite lounge. “Don’t you have your own room?”

“Destined reunion?” Nicolay repeats with a teasing grin.

“Some _small_ guy from back home,” Seb answers. Oikawa does not like the secretive glance that passes between them. So what if he has a type?

“Old flame of yours, Tooru?”

Oikawa scoffs, but he can’t hide the heat in his cheeks. “Hardly. He was just a frustrating opponent I faced in my third year of high school. His setter was my middle school successor.” Seb smirks. Just how many looks did these two have? Oikawa swears they’re communicating telepathically. He can almost see Kageyama’s name pass through the air between them. “I’m gonna go shower,” he announces before they can make any more comments on his personal life. “Seb, go to bed.” It’s not like he talks about his high school career often, but they know enough about his rivalry with his genius kouhai to draw their own conclusions about the Adlers tapes he sometimes watches on long flights.

Tobio isn’t the man on his mind tonight though.

Hinata was a breath of fresh air he hadn’t realized he was missing until it blew over him, taking the wind right out of his lungs. Being able to talk in his native tongue and laugh at stories with an old acquaintance, it felt like no time had lapsed since he left Japan. He still isn’t entirely sure this night was real. The sand pooling around the drain of the hotel shower proves he had at least been on the beach, the sweat sloughing off him with the citrusy hotel soap is proof he had played hard.

Hinata’s words keep rolling over in his head. Training using beach volleyball. Leveling up from the beginning. Oikawa had certainly felt like a beginner in their friendly match. Receives all over the place, mistimed serves, wimpy blocks. He clicks his tongue against his teeth. He hates losing. He is better than that. So what if the court is soft and shifty? The basics are still the same and he is a pro.

He knows he tried to deflect when Hinata asked for another chance to play with him, but the more he reflects on their match, the more he wants a rematch. That hunger isn’t going away; it’s only growing.

He picks up his phone on his way to getting dressed for bed. It might be late, but he figures he should at least respond.

“It was fun! ☆⌒(≧▽° ) Let’s do it again tomorrow, same time?”

He honestly doesn’t expect a reply tonight, but his phone vibrates a couple minutes later anyway.

“YES! Can’t wait! ＼(*ﾟ∀ﾟ*)／”

“Careful or your face will stick like that,” Nicolay taunts from the other bed.

Oikawa rolls his eyes. “This is how my face always looks.” He ignores the soft chuckle from his roommate and settles underneath the light sheets. Honestly. Was it really so weird for him to smile like this? He’s always been this pleasant.

He lays awake staring at the ceiling for a while, mentally replaying their match again, thinking about how their opponents moved, the ways they had taken advantage of him and Hinata, the atmosphere. There were so many other factors to consider. The wind and the sand were the obvious two, but he also thinks about what it would be like to play under the sun. The heat baking you as you fly about the court, blinding you as you try to serve or receive. It’d be challenging. Maybe Hinata was onto something here. Absently, he wonders what Hinata looks like flying under the sun and regrets it immediately as the toned, tanned, _sparkling_ image in his mind’s eye sends his pulse racing.

He presses the heels of his palms over his eyes in a futile attempt to push it out of his head.

_Goddammit._

_-_

Miraculously he manages to get a good night’s sleep. He chalks it up to fatigue from travel and the late-night workout on the beach. Nicolay and Seb don’t even bring up his evening activities as they have breakfast and prepare for the day’s training.

He switches into full professional mode as the team practices get rolling. He’s as on point as ever in drills and there is none of the awkwardness left over from his errors the previous evening. Rather than think about those, he pays closer attention to what he’s doing now.

He has played volleyball for so long, with so many different teammates, that he doesn’t really think about the motions he goes through. Sure, he analyzes the court and the players on either side of the net to determine the best play, the best toss, but the act itself is ingrained. He still can’t make pinpoint tosses with 100% accuracy 100% of the time, but he can always give each spiker the exact ball they want to hit to maximize the team’s chance of scoring. He can still string together a dozen powerful service aces. All that is muscle memory. But the hard court inside a temperature-controlled gymnasium is also an ideal playing field. He doesn’t have to think too hard about what he’s doing because the conditions are more or less static. Beach is the opposite. Conditions are always changing.

It’s thrilling.

As practice wraps up, he finds himself looking forward to his evening outing as much for the activity as for his companion. He checks his phone on his way back to the hotel. He pegs Hinata for the type to send multiple messages, but there’s only one, reiterating his anticipation for tonight.

Oikawa sends a courtesy text when he heads out from his hotel to let Hinata know he’s on his way. To his chagrin, Seb and Martin decide to tag along, at least for the start. “Can’t believe we missed you get your ass handed to you,” Martin laughs.

“I wanna see how this little guy of yours already has you so whipped,” Seb ribs him.

Oikawa refuses to look at either of them. “Don’t you two have anything better to do?” He is not whipped. He genuinely wants to try out the adjustments he worked out during practice. Hinata Shouyou being there is just a happy bonus.

When they arrive, Hinata is already there, stretching taut shoulder muscles that put awful ideas in Oikawa’s head before he can put a halt to them. He mentally kicks himself. It’s barely been 24 hours, what is _wrong_ with him? Beside him, he hears Seb and Martin snickering softly. It’s enough to sober him up, so he squares himself and waves to Hinata. “Yo, chibi!”

The younger man straightens as he turns toward the sound of Oikawa’s voice and he beams. Oikawa’s heart skips again. It’s not fair for someone to have such a radiant, heart-melting smile.

The only consolation he gets is the muttered curse from Martin and the soft <<Oh,>> that escapes Seb’s lips. He shoots them a side-eye that screams “Do you get it now?” The familiar stunned expression mirrored on their faces says they do. It’s enough for Oikawa to recover himself, too. He feels smug knowing he’s not the only one left gawking. But there’s also a subtler emotion brewing beneath his chest, a possessiveness and desire to flaunt that those shimmering eyes are directed at _him_.

Hinata waves as he jogs over to them. “You made it!”

Oikawa plants his hands on his hips and leers down at the smaller man. “What, did you think I would lie to you?”

Hinata smirks, he actually smirks, at _him_. “Nah, you’re not the ghosting type.” Oikawa’s brain short circuits for the umpteenth time since first hearing Hinata’s voice again not quite a full day ago. “Especially not when there’s a rematch to be had,” he adds innocently.

Right, the rematch. Oikawa grins. He’s not sure if Hinata is toying with him, but he is right about one thing. Oikawa Tooru never backs down from a challenge. “Let’s do this.”

They find their opponents out on the courts. Hinata negotiates the rematch in Portuguese, impressing Oikawa even more. The kid sure has grown, and now he’s multilingual too? He smirks as he wonders what else that tongue can do.

WAIT NO.

_BAD TOORU!_

_FOCUS, YOU IDIOT!_

Thankfully the match gets started before he has too long to dwell on his perverted brain. A crowd is gathering around them too, so he is extra motivated to get his ridiculous emotions back in check. Pro mode: engaged.

Gabriel serves first, into the wind and Hinata moves. He reads the serve, the wind, and positions himself perfectly to bump it. He seems just as surprised as their opponents. “I DID IT!” he exclaims.

Oikawa grins. Leveling up again, huh? “Nice receive!” He follows the pass, marks the blockers, looks for Hinata, checks the windspeed and direction… He sets the ball high and a little away from the net. If this were indoors, it would be too far away, but he knows it will fall exactly where Hinata will be to spike it. The tailwind brings it forward and Hinata’s swing connects, blasting it through Gabriel’s hands.

They celebrate with a high five and Hinata adds a shout of excitement, startling Oikawa as he moves toward the back of the court to serve. “What?”

Hinata shakes his head, face straining with admiration and hunger. He’s already processing that last attack and eagerly anticipating the next one. Oikawa smiles. Well, if he thought that was impressive, there are other things he can show the shrimp. “Here’s my jump floater!”

They exchange points back and forth. Sometimes the locals got a break, but then a well-placed set to Hinata gives it right back. There are still errors, and the wind takes the ball unexpectedly at times, but he doesn’t find himself as frustrated as before.

The cheers of the spectators, the laughter of his opponents, the boundless energy of his partner, it’s all /fun./ He has worked so hard for so long, has had so many struggles in fighting for his career, that he had almost forgotten.

Volleyball is fun!

He laughs as he faceplants in the sand diving for a dig that he completely misses. It’s the most basic rule of the sport, not letting the ball drop, and in a match that mattered, this would be humiliating. But he’s going back to the beginning now. More than not letting the ball drop, volleyball is a sport where you connect. With the ball, and with your teammates. He’s been such smitten fool since laying eyes on Hinata that he forgot the most important thing. He grins at his partner. His sole teammate.

It’s about time he steps up and connects.

They exchange a few more points. He’s late to making a decisive block on one of Gino’s spikes, and he hears Seb and Martin taunting him from the sideline.

<<You’re slow, Tooru!>>

<<Try harder!>>

He grimaces. <<Screw you! You guys should come play!>>

They laugh. <<Nah, we’re gonna go get dinner.>>

About damn time. He isn’t sure why they stuck around as long as they did. He’s still got a match to win though, and he gets ready for the next point. Hinata makes a nice dig, but then spikes it into the net off Oikawa’s toss.

The match is tied at 14 apiece and they switch sides. The wind has been vexing, and they complain about it as they walk under the net. “Even I can’t stop the wind,” Oikawa mutters. It’d be really cool if he could, though.

The serve comes over the net and Hinata flies to receive it. Oikawa smirks as he notices the subtle shift in Hinata’s demeanor. He really has gotten adept at learning and incorporating new skills, even in the midst of a match. He’s back on his feet almost as soon as he makes the save. He’s eager for the toss. So eager and determined, confident it will come to him, it radiates off him, makes him seem larger than life. Just as annoying as it was in high school.

But this time, Hinata is on his side. The blockers are as aware of him as Oikawa is. Which means they aren’t watching him when he switches to a quick dump. “Caught you looking!” Their reactions are priceless. Oikawa cackles.

Hinata’s eyes are just as wide and he exclaims “Beach is craaazy direct!”

“What are you talking about?”

Hinata ignores him. “Also, do you have eyes in the back of your head or something? That was right on target to the opposite side!”

He’s so cute. Oikawa can’t help but tease him. He rubs the back of his head and grins. “What, you knew about them?” Hinata’s face is so dumbfounded Oikawa has to turn away for a second to not laugh at him.

“Seeing is obviously important,” he explains, fully in senpai mode now, “but you also have to take into account how the opponent is watching you.” As he watches the words slide into place in Hinata’s mind, Oikawa feels as though this is the first time this has occurred to him. There are a lot of things to watch for on the court, and Hinata is absorbing each new element he learns with terrifying speed.

Well, he has plenty more to learn yet, and there are things Oikawa rarely has the opportunity to do in a normal match. When the return is a bit off, Oikawa goes for the bump. Hinata is startled by the pass, but Oikawa doesn’t give him the time to wallow. He wants to spike it himself and Hinata can use the practice setting. “Hey, Challenger!” he calls.

His kouhai is observant, calculating, insanely adaptable. He knows Hinata can set this ball where Oikawa wants to spike it. He just needed a little push. As the ball drops to Hinata’s hands, Oikawa sees all the thoughts racing through his partner’s head. His position, the blockers, the wind, the placement. “Challenger!” he replies, arcing the ball behind him to a great spot for Oikawa to hit it.

What a change since the sets he made yesterday. They weren’t awful, but the improvement in a single game is enough to make Oikawa proud. This time he doesn’t bury that prideful feeling in his chest. He puts it all into his spike and slams it into the sand behind Gabriel.

He turns to congratulate Hinata and the younger man’s eyes are wide. “Don’t scare me like that!” he cries.

Oikawa laughs. “With beach, you get to touch the ball a ton, since there are only two people,” he says. “It’d be a waste not to try out all kinds of things!”

Hinata gawks at him and Oikawa feels vindication that it’s not him floundering like a fool for once. “You’re so freaking GOOD!” he cries.

Another spike to his heart. Gods, he’s got it bad. In light of Hinata’s frustration though, he maintains his composure this time. “Damn straight,” he says, snickering in his head at how very not straight he is. “What of it?” Hinata shakes his head and readies himself for the next point, which they also win. Three points later and the match is decided. They win it 21-19.

<<Damn it!>> Gabriel sighs. <<Beer, protein, whatever you want. We’re men of our word!>>

Oikawa tries to decline on the basis that he’s a professional volleyball player, to which Gino questions his many faceplants in the sand and he has to clarify he’s a pro on a hard court.

<<Alright, then dinner!”>> Hinata cries.

Oikawa laughs. <<You are ALWAYS hungry.>>

They settle in for a quick bite at an outdoor café on the main drag, laughing and recounting their friendly match as they dine. Oikawa likes the feel of Hinata next to him and finds himself lamenting that the night is coming to an end.

Gabriel and Gino wave goodbye as they head out. <<It was fun! Let’s play again, Shouyo! Ken!>> Oikawa and Hinata exchange a quizzical glance. Who the heck was Ken?

They burst into laughter at the same time, as last night’s introductions come back to their minds. He’d completely forgotten he’d called himself Watanabe Ken.

He parts ways with Hinata at the street to his hotel. His nights are going to be full the rest of the week, but he promises they’ll get together once or twice before he leaves. He tries to convince himself that he is bummed that he won’t get another chance to play the Beer Bros. He knows he’s actually bummed he won’t get another chance to play with Hinata while he’s in Rio. They do get together for lunch twice, and on the morning he is scheduled to leave they grab breakfast. Nicolay doesn’t even tease him when he checks out early.

The week outside of the tournament has been surreal. Maybe he didn’t have the love connection he thought he could have at the start, the one his teammates relentlessly tormented him over those first few days, but he did rekindle an old flame he’d almost lost. Seeing that same unbridled love of volleyball in another’s eyes, getting to remember that feeling of loving the sport simply by playing alongside him, teaching him, helping him to grow. He’s excited to see what new heights Hinata will reach, and he’s grateful, too.

Their time is up, though, and he braces himself for their parting. “Alright,” he sighs, “take care of yourself Chib-,“ he stops and thinks better of it. After a whole week of reconnecting and playing volleyball together, the least he can do is drop that nickname. He puts on his most endearing smile as he extends a hand toward the younger man. “Shouyo.”

It was totally worth it. Hinata’s eyes shine and he grins excitedly as he grasps Oikawa’s hand in both of his. “Yes sir! Thank you so much!”

Oikawa suppresses a laugh, just barely. He’s the one who should be doing the thanking. “I’m feeling nice and recharged too,” he says. “Or more like, that feeling of going back to being a beginner again. Thanks for that.”

The warm Rio morning envelops them as they stand there for a moment, frozen in time. Oikawa feels a primal need to burn Hinata’s adoring gaze to memory. He’ll hold onto that until they meet again. “You’re going back in 2 years, right?”

Hinata grins. “Yep!”

His own return was on a similar track. They’d get to play against each other again. “I’m going to beat everyone,” he declares. “So be ready for it!”

Hinata stands ramrod straight. “Yes sir!”

“I mean you, too,” he laughs. “Try to be a little more scared.” Oikawa is confident Hinata will rise to the challenge when that day comes. He can’t wait to see how high the little crow will fly 2 years from now. He turns to leave. “Anyway, see you later!”

“See you!”

He glances behind him once as he crosses the street. One more look at Hinata Shouyo’s vibrant aura. It had only been a week, but he feels like this week has changed his life for the better. He throws up a peace sign before turning away and stepping towards his future.

-

His phone vibrates as he gets out of the cab at the airport. He expects it to be from Seb, wondering where he is and if he “got lost in his boy toy’s eyes.” He grimaces as he pulls the device out to give a crude reply. It’s not from Seb.

“Argentina is just next door, right? So don’t be a stranger! (・ωｰ)～☆”

…

Terrifying runt.

Oikawa grins. Maybe their reunion wouldn’t be so far off after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Oikawa's teammates have been drafted into Hinata's harem I don't make the rules.
> 
> Thanks for reading! I'm sure I'll do more of these because I had a blast writing Oikawa. Feel free to leave some kudos, comments, or come yell at me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/AniNinjaSpaz)!


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